The present invention relates to containers for contact lenses, and more particularly to containers for facilitating the soaking, asepticizing and rinsing of lenses of both the hard and soft types.
With the advent of contact lenses, there arose a need for compact, economical enclosures in which to store and condition the lenses. In the case of the so-called "hard" contact lens, it was necessary to provide a fluid-holding container into which the lenses could be placed and submerged. The immersion fluid serves several purposes, acting as a cleaner and an asepticizing agent for preventing the growth of undesirable organisms on the lens surface.
With the newer "soft" lenses, a somewhat different regimen is required. The so-called "soft" lenses are of porous nature, and must be hydrated in order to maintain their pliable quality. In addition, however, the porous nature of the lens material makes the lenses more susceptible to the harboring of micro-organisms. Thus, sterilization of the lenses is even more critical than with hard lenses. Typically soft lenses are kept immersed in a saline solution and asepticized by heating. In particular, the lenses are usually either steamed or boiled in the saline solution.
It will therefore be seen that contact lens cases must withstand the aseptization procedure for the lenses, in addition to comprising a safe and rugged repository for the lenses when not in use. However, due to the substantial difference in size between the so-called "hard" and "soft"contact lenses, and due to the great difference in the sterilization regimens to date no completely satisfactory containers have been developed for use with both the hard and soft varieties of contact lenses.
Of the various types of contact lens containers which have been developed so far, most present considerable difficulty to the user in manipulating the contact lens basket and withdrawing the lenses therefrom. Some schemes use separate cases and lens baskets, in which case the baskets can be misplaced after being withdrawn from the outer case.
Another difficulty which lens case manufacturers have sought to overcome is the opportunity for inadvertently interchanging right and left lenses. For this reason, most commerically available baskets are provided with visible indicia such as the letters R and L. Since the baskets are normally immersed in fluid it is undesirable to form the identifying letters from different material, of contrasting color, since particles of the applied material can become dislodged and find their way to the surface of the lenses. Accordingly, the indicia are generally formed either in relief or as raised surfaces. While this identification may be adequate under good ambient lighting conditions for individuals with relatively good vision, the unaided vision of many contact lens wearers is extremely poor and even differently colored lens baskets may not be distinguished. For this reason, after they have removed the contact lenses it is impossible for many wearers to be able to distinguish one lens receptacle from the other. Of course, only rarely is an individual capable of recognizing the lettered indicia formed on the containers through his sense of touch. Accordingly, it will be understood that there exists a need for an easily manipulable contact lens container which provides improved access to lens baskets for inserting and withdrawing the lenses, and which requires only a minimal amount of conditioning solution. It will also be appreciated that it would be highly desirable for a contact lens container to be constructed such that the proper retainers for right and left lenses could be instantly determined, without the need for identifying indicia.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a contact lens container which is usable with either hard or soft contact lenses.
It is another object of the invention to provide a contact lens case which requires a minimal amount of conditioning solution.
Still another object of the invention is to produce a contact lens container providing easy removal of lenses therefrom.
Another object of the invention is to provide means for retaining a pair of contact lenses which allows receptacles for right and left lenses to be immediately determined without the need for visible indicia.
A further object is to furnish a contact lens container which allows lenses to be easily placed therein and removed therefrom, without manipulating a separable enclosure or basket.
Yet another object is to provide an improved contact lens container which facilitates the rinsing of the lenses by either boiling or by immersion in a stream of water.